Endings and Beginnings
by iwannagibbs
Summary: Gibbs and SecNav Sarah Porter. Two part story just because I liked them together and thought they had some sparks between them when she appeared on the show. No great plot just a short story.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Just a short two part story. The second part will be up in the next day or two.**

 **Endings and Beginnings**

 **Part 1**

"Hi, sweetie. Sorry I'm running late. On my way to the car right now."

"It's okay mom. Have you talked to Gibbs today?"

"No, I haven't talked to him for a couple of days. Why?"

"He was here a while ago but when I said you weren't home yet he wouldn't come in and wait. He didn't look too good mom. I think you should go check on him."

"Didn't look good how?" She worked to keep the alarm out of her voice knowing it would only make her daughter worry more.

"He looked like he did when he first got out of the hospital sort of. And he was limping really badly. You know, he just didn't look too good."

"I'll call him from the car. I want to get home before you leave."

"Mom, dad will be here in about 20 minutes. It takes you at least 40 this time of day. You need to go SEE Gibbs, not just talk to him. You know he won't tell you anything but that he's fine."

"Megan, why are you so adamant about this?"

"I'm just worried because he really seemed to be hurting today. And because I really like Gibbs and I want the two of you to…you know…see each other and…you know spend time together."

"Oh."

"Mom, you've been so happy since you and Gibbs got together. I just want you to stay that way. And, I'm worried about him. Maybe he shouldn't have gone back to work so soon."

"Dr. Taft would agree with you but unfortunately, Jethro did not. Okay, I'll go see him. What are you and your dad doing this weekend?"

"Just dinner tonight and then the Nats game tomorrow. I'll be home on Sunday afternoon because he's flying to Chicago. Call me and let me know about Gibbs."

"I will. Thank you for calling me and for worrying about Jethro. Have fun this weekend. I love you."

"Love you too. Bye."

"Bye sweetie."

Secretary of the Navy, Sarah Porter was standing next to her car while her driver patiently waited for her to finish her phone call. She shook her head and smiled as she closed her phone.

"Sean, would you please drop me at Agent Gibbs' residence instead of mine."

Sean Phillips smiled at her and said, "Of course Ma'am. Everything alright?"

Phillips knew Gibbs and knew he and the SecNav were more or less a couple and of course this was not the first time he'd driven his boss to Gibbs' house. He'd spent a lot of time waiting in that particular driveway over the last several months while Gibbs was recuperating from being shot in Iraq.

"My daughter is worried that Agent Gibbs isn't doing well and she insists I check on him."

"She can be very persuasive, ma'am."

"Yes, she certainly can be."

Sarah got in the back seat and closed her eyes as Sean eased them into the late Friday evening traffic. The drive to Gibbs' house would take almost half an hour. It seemed no matter where you wanted to go in the DC area it would take at least half an hour. Sarah sat back and closed her eyes and relaxed. It had been a long week and she hadn't had more than a couple of short conversations with Jethro since last weekend. He had been back at work for two weeks now and Sarah was pretty sure that was the primary cause of whatever difficulties he was having today. His surgeon had been opposed to Jethro going back to work at all and certainly was not in favor of him returning a mere three months after very nearly being killed in Iraq. No one was going to keep Leroy Jethro Gibbs from returning to his beloved NCIS; not Dr. Taft and not Sarah Porter. She hadn't even really tried because she knew it would be a lost cause and she didn't have time or energy for those.

The two of them had begun seeing each other very occasionally about a month after Megan had been kidnapped and successfully recovered by Jethro's team with some assistance from the FBI. It was a very well guarded secret that they were dating, for lack of a better word, until Jethro was shot. At that point they had been together for about six months and the fact that she had very nearly lost him had pushed Sarah to abandon secrecy in favor of being with Jethro while he recovered in the hospital and later at home. They still kept a very low profile but it was now public knowledge that they were more or less a couple.

Jethro spent a lot of time at her house but had never spent the night. That was his rule and was not, at least so far, open to debate. Sarah had spent the night with Jethro on several occasions, always when Megan was with her father. Jethro could not explain how that was different than him spending the night at her house when Megan was away but again, Sarah didn't see any point in pressing the point; she was perfectly happy to stay at Jethro's house. They had been out together in public a few times and naturally that had been reported in the gossip pages of the Post and the Examiner. Jethro hated the publicity and Sarah wasn't thrilled but given her position that had been bound to happen and she was willing to put up with it. She certainly wasn't willing to stop seeing Jethro and he was very much in agreement with that so they simply did their best to stay out of camera range.

Before she could get too relaxed Sarah's phone beeped at her and by the time she finished dealing with a minor problem, they were pulling into Jethro's driveway.

"Sean, I don't really know how long I'll be. Can you give me a couple of hours? I hate to mess up your evening."

"It's no problem, ma'am. I'm meeting Julie for dinner so that will work out just fine."

"Thank you Sean. Julie again huh? Sounds promising."

Opening her door for her, Sean smiled and said, "I sure hope so. If you decide you don't need me just text me."

Sarah didn't miss the mischief in his eyes as he closed the door and wished her a good evening.

"Yes, I suspect you should keep that phone handy. We'll see. Have fun, Sean."

"You too, ma'am."

He waited until she was closing Gibbs' front door before he drove away. Sarah set her briefcase and purse on the floor just inside the door and looked into the living room. As she had expected, Jethro was on the couch asleep. He had his feet up on the coffee table, an ice pack on his left knee and a woodworking magazine open in his lap. There was an empty beer bottle in his right hand. Sarah looked at him for a few moments hesitant to disturb him.

Before she took a step toward him, Jethro raised his left arm and motioned her to him. Sarah sat on the edge of the couch and leaning down, kissed him softly on the mouth. Jethro put his arm around her and did his part to keep the kiss going. When they both needed to breathe, Sarah sat up and put her hand on his chest, gently stroking down the length of the still visible scar left behind by Dr. Taft and his lifesaving surgery.

Jethro finally opened his eyes and smiled up at her. "Hi, what are you doing here?"

"Hi yourself. Megan called and insisted I come check on you. She said you were at the house earlier and she thought you didn't look good. She said my calling you wouldn't suffice; I had to come see you in person and make sure you're alright. Are you alright?"

"Am now. Sorry I worried her."

"Why didn't you stay?"

"You know I don't think I should be there with her when you're not there."

"Jethro, it's not like you're some stranger. Megan is very comfortable with you; she feels very safe with you. It's perfectly fine with me for you to be there if I'm not home."

"I know that but I don't feel right about it. People talk and we don't need that. Besides, she was right; I didn't feel right and I needed to be home."

Sarah looked at him, studied his face and saw the pain she had become used to seeing in his eyes was back. And obviously the knee was hurting.

"You were in the field today weren't you?"

"Yep. Just doin' my job. I didn't chase down anybody or fight with anyone. I simply took notes, talked to people and directed my team. Nothing that's gonna kill me."

His tone was a mix of impatience and anger. She knew the impatience was with himself and the anger was just a side affect of his frustration; it wasn't directed at her.

"Hey, it's okay. It's only your second week back. Things will get better. Have you taken any pain meds yet?"

Jethro held up the empty beer bottle and smiled. "Just this one so far. Ellen brought over a pan of her homemade lasagna so I'm waiting for that to be ready. Stay for supper?"

"That sounds wonderful. I told Sean to give me a couple of hours so yes, I'd love to stay for supper."

"Call Sean and tell him I'll take you home."

"Once you eat and take pain pills you won't be in any shape to take me home tonight."

"Who said anything about tonight?"

Jethro put his feet down and pulled her close. He held her face between his big hands and kissed her on the forehead. In a soft, needy voice he said, "I'd really like it if you'd stay tonight."

Sarah put her hands on his wrists and gave him a quick kiss on the mouth.

"Well, it just so happens Megan is spending the weekend with her dad so I'd be very happy to stay the night with you."

"Good because I've missed you."

"And I you. Now, how about another beer? I'll go check on the lasagna and see about some salad to go with it."

"Yes, another beer would be good. You want some help?"

"No, I want you to stay right here."

Sarah got up and slipped off her shoes. She went to the kitchen and soon returned with her phone and two beers. Before checking on their supper she called Megan.

"Hi sweetie."

"Hey mom. Is Gibbs okay?"

Laughing Sarah answered, "Yes, he's fine. Well maybe fine is stretching it but he's okay. Just sore and tired."

"Are you going to stay with him?"

"As a matter of fact I am. Okay?"

"Absolutely. Can I say hi?"

"Sure."

Sarah handed Jethro her phone. "She wants to talk to you."

"Hey kiddo. Thanks for sending your mom over."

"You're welcome. Are you okay, Gibbs? Really?"

"Yeah, like your mom said, just tired and sore. Not used to workin' all day."

"I'm glad. You guys have a good night. Bye, Gibbs."

"Have a good weekend, kiddo. Maybe I'll see you Sunday."

Sarah watched as her lover and her daughter conversed. One of the things she liked so much about Jethro was his way with Megan. They obviously had a special bond due to the kidnapping and the fact that Jethro had rescued her. She knew Megan had a sort of crush on Jethro and he was mindful of that and very respectful of Megan's feelings. What he probably didn't know was how much Megan wanted him and her mother to be together. Sarah was just coming to that realization herself.

Jethro handed her back her phone and Sarah told Megan goodnight. Then she went to check on supper. By the time she had put together a salad the lasagna was ready. She took it out to cool and was on her way to get Jethro when he appeared in the kitchen and in her personal space; very much in her space in fact.

He crowded her back against the counter and trapped her there with his hands on either side her hips. He leaned down and kissed her neck right below her ear. Sarah managed to get her arms free and wrapped them around his waist pulling him in as close as he could get. The kiss moved to her jaw and then finally her mouth. In her experience, there were few things better in the world than being kissed by this man.

Finally ending the kiss, Jethro asked, "Did I say I was glad you're here?"

"Sort of. I'm happy to be here. I have missed you this week. Will you tell me about work after we eat?

"You mean about how I'm feelin' don't you?"

Sarah gave him a quick kiss on the mouth and said, "Yes. I admit it, I love you and I worry and…."

"I know. Let's eat and then we can talk."

So, they had a nice dinner with talk mostly about Megan and her lacrosse team and school. It was a bittersweet circumstance to be involved with a woman who had a teenage daughter when Jethro's own daughter never became a teenager. He tried very hard not to let his memories affect his relationship with Megan or her mom and most of the time he was successful. Sometimes though he couldn't help but look at Megan and wonder what might have been.

When they were finished eating they cleaned up together moving easily around each other in Jethro's small kitchen. The comfort Jethro felt in this relationship was such a welcome change from any he'd had in recent years that he sometimes wondered how he'd managed to find himself in such a good place. Sarah had intrigued him from the first time they met but he had certainly not entertained any sort of personal feelings for her in the beginning. Gradually over her first year in the job he came to appreciate her dedication and honesty and eventually he began to wonder about her in a more personal way. The near tragedy of her only child being kidnapped had brought them together for an emotion charged few days and each of them separately came to the realization that they had a mutual attraction. And the rest, as they say, was history.

Sarah's phone rang and she looked at the caller id and said, "I have to take this. Sorry."

Jethro just grinned at her and replied, "I'm going outside for some fresh air. Come join me when you're through."

Limping his way around the backyard Jethro pulled a few weeds and picked up some small branches that had been blown down in a recent wind storm. He got the hose and gave the flowers on the deck a drink then sat down and put his leg up on another chair. His knee was still bothersome and he sometimes wondered if it would ever be 100% again. Then he thought about all the young troops back from Iraq or Afghanistan who didn't have one or both of their legs and he felt pretty stupid for worrying about a little soreness. He had to admit it was better than even two weeks ago but he also knew he'd done too much this week and that was one reason he was hurting so much tonight. Sarah would undoubtedly get that information out of him with very little effort and Jethro was okay with that.

Jethro closed his eyes and let himself enjoy the warm evening and the fact that a sweet, beautiful woman was in his house. Having Sarah in his life was almost literally a life-saver for Jethro and he knew he hadn't told her that enough. Maybe tonight would be a good time to do that he thought.

Sarah watched Jethro on the deck, sprawled out in a deck chair with his leg up rubbing his knee. She finished her phone call and ran upstairs to find a change of clothes and Jethro's pain pills. Ever since Jethro had come home from the hospital she had been slowly accumulating clothes at his house. The first few weeks he was home she was there every day and sometimes overnight especially the first week. He refused going home to Ducky's house and certainly hers was out of the question at the time, even though that's what Sarah had really wanted. So, she stayed with him during the day that first week and then periodically as her schedule allowed after that.

Wearing some light cotton pants and a soft tee shirt and carrying his pills and a bottle of water Sarah stepped outside finally able to relax and put work on hold for the weekend. At least she hoped so. She stood behind Jethro and held the pills and the water over his shoulders as she leaned down and kissed the top of his head. He took the meds and the water and Sarah went to sit in a chair opposite him.

"Thanks."

"What are you thinking about out here?"

He looked at her and smiled his patented half smile, "How nice it is to have you here."

"Oh, thank you. I like being here with you too. I just wish I could take away the pain you are obviously in tonight."

"You do. And I don't mean by bringing me these." Jethro held up the plastic bottle and shook it.

"That's a sweet thing to say but I mean in more practical, real terms. It worries me that you still have so much pain after all these months."

"Cyril says it's to be expected. And, I admit I probably overdid it a little bit this week. Listen, I'm serious when I say you do help with the pain in a real way."

Jethro reached for her hand and Sarah moved closer so he could touch her.

"I should have told you this weeks ago. When I got back and was lying in the hospital not knowing when I'd see you I was going crazy. I hadn't heard your voice in too long and I wasn't sure what you knew or even where you were. I wanted so much to see you but I didn't know if you were ready for what your coming to the hospital would mean for our little secret."

"I was going crazy too, worrying about you and not being able to be with you. I thought you'd never get back here."

"Sarah, when you walked in the room that morning I felt like I could really breathe for the first time since I got shot. But I have to admit I was still worried about us; about how things would go. When you touched me and kissed me I finally believed I was going to be okay."

By now Sarah had tears in her eyes and Jethro's voice was thick with emotion.

"Remember the first thing you said to me?"

"I told you I loved you."

"Yes. When I heard that I knew all the pain had been worthwhile. I was dreading the coming weeks and months because I knew how hard the recovery was going to be. At least I thought I did. But when you said that I realized I had something to look forward to besides just going back to work and I knew it would all be worth it."

"Oh Jethro, that's the most wonderful thing you could ever tell me. I didn't know how you'd feel about our relationship being out in the open but from the moment I heard you'd been shot I knew I couldn't stay away once you came home. The idea of losing you made me ill and I had to make sure you knew how much you meant to me."

"So you see, you really do help me, Sarah. Being with you feels so good it really does take the pain away. I'm glad you made the decision for us that we wouldn't be a secret anymore."

"I am too but honestly it wasn't so much a decision I made as an overwhelming need to see you and make sure you were alright. I don't think anything or anyone could have kept me from being there that morning."

"I'm sorry it's taken me so long to tell you this. I should have let you know how much I appreciated seeing you that morning a long time ago."

"It's okay. We've been pretty focused on you getting better and anyway, you've let me know in lots of ways that you appreciate me. Don't worry about that. Now, how about telling me about your week. And, take two of those pills I brought you."

"Those can wait. I may need to make my self useful later on this evening."

"Useful?" Laughing she said, "That sounds interesting. Okay. The week?"

"I probably just drank too much coffee and didn't eat right. And, I stayed late a couple of nights reading cases the team worked while I was out. I just didn't take it easy like Cyril said."

"How many days did you go in the field?"

Jethro looked at her and shook his head. She kept her eyes on him and all he saw there was love and concern.

"Three or four I guess." He sounded like a little boy caught with cookie crumbs on his shirt.

"That's two or three more than you were supposed to if I'm not mistaken."

"You're not."

Sarah just shook her head and smiled at him. She knew when Dr. Taft told him he needed another month before he should do field work that would never fly. Jethro had been itching to get back to work for weeks before he got clearance so she knew that as soon as he was in the office and Director Vance's back was turned Jethro would be out the door with his team. He was not going to sit on the sidelines any longer. As much as she worried about that she had accepted it. She knew Tony, Ziva and Tim would have his back. She wanted Jethro healthy but she also wanted him happy. There was a trade-off there and she was willing to help him with any consequences that came from him going back to work too soon.

Jethro waited for her to chastise him but that never came. He wasn't surprised because one of the best things about Sarah was that she was completely supportive of him and didn't try to change him. Theirs was an easy-going relationship with no unreasonable expectations on either side.

"Well you seem to have survived so let's change the subject. Got any ice cream in this house?"

"Sure do. C'mon let's go in and I'll fix you your very own, custom sundae."

"Ooh, you know I can't resist an offer like that."

They returned to the deck with their ice cream and enjoyed the rest of the early summer evening. Jethro marveled at how much Sarah really did love ice cream, how much she could eat of it and how little effect it seemed to have on her waistline. He'd never known another adult who loved ice cream the way the current Secretary of the Navy did.

Seeming to read his mind, Sarah said, "Don't sit there judging my ice cream intake, mister."

"No judgment. Jealousy really at how it never seems to show on you."

"Well, you help me work it off most times and I do work out you know."

"I'm always happy to help you stay in shape you know that. And yes, I know you work out. It shows. In all the right places."

"Thank you, Jethro. You could stand to put on a couple of pounds you know. I'd say you're still down about ten from before Iraq."

"Yeah but I'm in no hurry. I'm going back to some lifting next week and working out with Ziva. That will help. If it doesn't kill me first."

"Tell Ziva I said to take it easy on you."

"Sure. That'll make a difference."

They laughed and Sarah scraped the last bite of her sundae from the bottom of the bowl. She looked at Jethro who had his eyes closed and a small smile on his handsome face. A face she never go tired of looking at. A face that had gained some extra lines in the last three or four months but at least now it was a face without pain etched in every corner.

"Do you remember our first kiss?"

Jethro opened his eyes and looked at her. "Of course. You kissed me in your kitchen the day Megan came home. Pretty bold move."

"I was just trying to give you a quick peck on the cheek but you moved and…"

"And you kissed me right here" he put his finger on his lips and winked at her.

"It wasn't my original target but you moved."

"Timing is everything."

"You left about 30 seconds later and I thought I'd offended you. Or something."

"You didn't."

"What were you thinking as you left that day?"

Jethro took a few moments to consider then he said, "Good kiss, bad idea."

Sarah laughed. "Really? Why bad idea?"

"Timing again. We were both in an emotional place because of the kidnapping. I knew you hadn't meant to kiss me like that. I took advantage of you for a second and I knew that was wrong. I liked the idea of kissing you but I knew it shouldn't happen. Not a good idea for you to get caught up with me."

"And yet here we are."

"You are very persuasive. And persistent. Thank god."

Again, Sarah laughed and that made Jethro feel good. He liked the sound of her laughter and he really liked it when he was the reason she laughed.

"You're right I didn't intend for the kiss to go that way but I enjoyed it anyway. And, I probably wanted it as much as you did but I wouldn't have admitted it right then. What about kiss number two? Remember that one?"

"Sure. In your office about two weeks later. I left that one thinking, very good kiss and maybe not such a bad idea."

"Progress. I had just gotten a report from the psychologist who evaluated Megan. She had told me how well-adjusted my daughter was and that she saw no ill effects from her "ordeal" as she referred to it. I was very happy. And relieved."

"I could tell."

"Too bad we were interrupted by my phone ringing."

"Happens to me all the time."

"Which one do you think really sealed the deal?"

"Three. And four and five. In _my_ office. I think that's when I first knew we had something goin'. Again, you started things off but I guess I was pretty happy to join in."

"As I remember you were very happy to join in. I'd never had so much fun in an elevator before. Or since for that matter."

"We gonna go through all our kisses or can we just agree they are all very, very good now?"

"We don't need to recount them all. Yes, I agree they are all superb. I love kissing you Jethro. I don't think I'll ever get enough."

"That's okay, I don't plan on stopping any time soon and you can have as many as you want."

"I like the sound of that. I don't think I've ever asked you this but why were you so reluctant at the beginning?"

"You know, history, bad luck all that. Mainly I just never pictured myself kissing the Secretary of the Navy."

That made Sarah laugh again. "But you probably never pictured the Secretary of the Navy being a woman did you?"

"No, I never did. But, I'm damn sure glad that happened and that it happened to be you."

"Me too."

When it got dark and started to cool off they went inside and settled in the living room. Jethro went back to his woodworking magazine and Sarah snuggled in close to him with a paperback she'd been working on for weeks. It was comfortable and easy for the two of them. A definite change of pace for Jethro when it came to the women in his life. The last few years had been pretty quiet in that department but for a while after Jenny came back there had been a succession of women in his life that were anything but comfortable and easy. After Dr. Ryan disappeared from his life Jethro decided he was through with women and he'd been happy with that decision until Sarah Porter became the first woman to serve as the Secretary of the Navy. Even though he was intrigued by her from the start he never imagined she'd one day be such an important part of his personal life. Feeling her tucked into his side, her legs stretched out next to his, Jethro realized he was finally happy again. He enjoyed this woman's company, her easy-going personality and the fact that she accepted him with all his quirks and failings. And, to top it off she was a great cook and a wonderful lover. Sometimes Jethro wondered when the other shoe would drop and all this would disappear.

Sarah read for a while enjoying simply being in close contact with the man she had fallen in love with despite all the warnings her inner voice had shouted at her for so long. The obvious fact that he was indirectly under her authority professionally was the first reason she shouldn't have ever kissed Special Agent Gibbs. The next several reasons were also pretty obvious to anyone who knew him; several failed marriages, several more short term relationships, obsessive work ethic. The list could go on and on but Sarah had come know a much different man. She didn't discount that Jethro could be difficult and that he had some rather challenging emotional baggage but once she spent a little time with him she discovered he wasn't quite the bastard he wanted people to think he was.

The quiet, respectful way he had dealt with her during the kidnapping and especially the way he cared for Megan that terrible night it ended, had shown Sarah the side of Jethro that few people got to see. She had done her research of course so she knew all about the chances Jethro took to catch the bad guys. She knew about the questionable corners he sometimes cut and the courage he showed time after time when things seemed to be going sideways on a case. Now of course she also knew Jethro was a lot more sophisticated than he would ever want people to know. He was very well read, he could actually cook more than steaks although that was still his go-to meal. Of course he could build just about anything from a toy boat to a log cabin and he had a very green thumb when it came to his yard and flower gardens.

They took their time getting to know each other and it was several months after those stolen kisses in the elevator before they became lovers. Sarah had invited him to dinner on a Saturday when Megan was with her father. They had been oh so close to taking that last step several times but one or the other of them had always backed off at the last moment. Sarah knew what or rather who, she wanted and she was certain Jethro wanted the same thing but they were both cautious; neither wanted to make a mistake or hurt the other person. There were plenty of reasons for them not to get really wound up in each other but it seemed that was happening anyway. That Saturday night after some wonderful grilled salmon and a bottle of very good wine, they sat on the couch talking and kissing and when that simply wasn't enough Jethro stood and reached down for her and she led him to the bedroom.

That first time was everything Sarah had been imagining. Even though there was an underlying sense of urgency in the room, they took their time undressing each other and spent a long time touching and exploring and simply enjoying finally being where they'd both wanted to be for so long. They didn't talk much naturally but they certainly communicated very well together. Sarah found herself unable to think of anything except the man who was slowly but surely driving her insane with desire. Jethro's mouth and hands were like magic; setting her on fire and then cooling her down over and over again. By the time she came completely apart beneath him she'd lost all power to form a coherent sentence. But then she didn't really need to speak anyway so that didn't really matter. She was not a passive participant but Jethro so thoroughly overwhelmed her she was pretty much powerless. But in a good way.

About two hours later she woke up and found Jethro asleep sprawled out on his back, a satisfied smile on that wonderful mouth that had done so many nice things to her earlier. Sarah slipped out of bed to use the bathroom and when she came back to bed she proceeded to awaken her favorite NCIS agent and in a short while she was doing some overwhelming of her own. Jethro never stopped smiling the whole time. But, much to her chagrin he did get up sometime around 2 am and go home. Sarah had known he wouldn't spend the night no matter what happened so she wasn't surprised but she wasn't too happy either. Even so, she counted that night as one of her very best ever.

"Hey, you awake? You haven't turned a page in a long time."

"I'm awake. Just thinking."

"About?"

"Us."

"I like the sound of that."

"Yes, me too. But apart from that there's something I want to run past you. Something I want your opinion on."

"Okay. Shoot."

"I'm thinking of resigning at the end of the month."

Sarah had been kicking that idea around for a few weeks but she had not planned to tell Jethro tonight. Why she did she didn't know but it didn't matter. She valued his opinion and he often had some insight she hadn't thought about. Sarah put her book down and turned to sit sideways on the couch so she could see his handsome face.

"Wow, that's sorta out of the blue. Any particular reason?"

She reached for his hand and laced their fingers together.

"Several reasons but the main one is I want to spend more time with Megan. Next year will be her last year at home before college and I want to be able to enjoy that more than I have the last few years. I miss too much. I don't want to miss anything this next year. I know most parents miss things because of their jobs but selfishly I want to take advantage of the fact that I have the luxury of not having to do that."

"It's not selfish. But, are you sure you want to quit working? I thought you loved your job. You're doing a lot of good, Sarah."

"I enjoy my job that's true. I just look at Megan and know that after next year she'll be living away and we'll never get this time back."

Sarah was very aware that this topic was somewhat painful for Jethro even after all these years of coping with Kelly's absence from his life. She hesitated to say any more about Megan and wanting to spend more time with her. It didn't seem fair.

"It's my mom too. She's still in good health and she's been after me to visit her more. I'm actually hoping to persuade her to move down here in the next year or two and, I want to take her to Europe before she can't enjoy it."

"What will you do? I know you, Sarah, you won't be happy sitting at home and Megan will still be in school. She'll still have lots to do that won't include her mom."

"I know. I've been approached to do some guest lectures here and there. I'll be able to keep myself busy but on my own terms and my own schedule for the most part."

Jethro didn't say anything. He was looking off across the room and Sarah couldn't tell what he was feeling or thinking.

"Any opinion?"

"I hate to see you go. It sounds like you've given this a lot of thought and I trust your instincts. But what about after Megan's gone off to college? When she's gone what will you do? How many times can you and your mom go to Europe?"

"You're right, the year will go by quickly and then I'll be home alone and unemployed. The truth is I'll be able to go back to work without too much trouble. I've had some offers lately that would still be available a year from now."

"Then I guess the only question is do you really want to give up the job you have now; a job you clearly enjoy and are very good at, and then take another job in a year."

"I know it's a gamble but the bottom line is I want to spend more time with the people I love and if I have to give up my job in order to do that I'm prepared to do so. Just so you know, you're one of those people I love that I'm thinking of spending more time with."

Sarah had her gaze squarely on Jethro's face and when she said that last part she saw him swallow and close his eyes tight for just a moment. She felt him tense up just a bit where their hands were joined. He didn't say anything for a long few moments. This was one of those times when Sarah understood she needed to tread carefully. Talking about the future could be problematic with Jethro. She didn't take her eyes off his face and waited for him to reply.

"You shouldn't consider me when you're making these kinds of decisions or plans; plans about the future."

Jethro did her the courtesy of looking at her when he said that and he didn't miss the hurt that crossed her face and shadowed her eyes for just a second. He knew it sounded cold and he didn't want to hurt her but it was still difficult for him to accept that he was in a relationship that might actually work.

Sarah didn't try to hide the hurt that comment caused her. She knew Jethro loved her and she also knew he struggled even now with the idea of a long term relationship that actually worked and made him happy. She had no doubts though about the two of them and she was willing to be very patient with Jethro and his doubts.

Pulling his hand to her mouth, Sarah kissed his palm and stood up.

"I'm going up to get ready for bed. Why don't you give some thought to that last comment before you come up."

"Sarah, I…."

She silenced him with two fingers on his lips then she leaned down and kissed him.

"Jethro, just think about it. I love you."

Jethro sighed and let his head fall back against the cushion. Sarah had definitely surprised him with her plan to resign. In truth he hated the idea because she was good for the Navy and good for NCIS. He had been honest when he told her she was doing a lot of good. She had threatened to quit the night he brought Megan home but once the emotion of that situation had calmed down she realized she didn't really want to do that. Now though it sounded like she actually did want to resign. If the reasons she'd given him were really what was motivating her then he couldn't argue with the idea. He knew she'd never regret having more time with her daughter. On the other hand, if she had to miss an important lacrosse game or school assembly this last year of Megan's high school career she would regret it for a long time. There was nothing Jethro could argue about in that scenario.

It wasn't the idea of her resigning that had really thrown Jethro and he knew it. It was her talking about considering him in her decision that had provoked his hurtful statement. Why? Jethro got up and wandered into the kitchen and stood looking out the window into the backyard. He took some deep breaths and let his mind drift back to the day Sarah came to see him in the hospital when he came home from Iraq. He'd told her the truth earlier; her visit made all the difference in terms of his recovery and his ability to withstand the difficulties of the next few months. Then he thought about all the times she'd come to the house and spent hours with him when he wasn't very good company. She never complained about his bad attitude and she never lost her patience with him. He'd lost count of the times she held him when the pain and the memory of that horrible day threatened to crush him. Jethro knew Sarah loved him and he was pretty sure he loved her too. Then why wouldn't he want her to have more time for them?

Jethro poured himself a shot of bourbon and went to sit on the deck. What exactly did "more time" mean he wondered. Weekends at his cabin in the mountains maybe. Or weekends sailing without worrying about her phone calling them back when they'd only just gotten started. That had happened at least three times already. Sarah was the only woman Jethro had ever been with whose job was more demanding than his and he had to admit if she wasn't tethered to that job and its phone things would be nicer for them. They could actually go out to dinner without being the topic of the next mornings gossip columns. They could stop worrying that everything he did was going to be triple checked to make sure he wasn't getting some kind of preferential treatment. The more he thought about it the better he liked the idea of Sarah not being the Secretary of the Navy anymore. Yes, he thought, he could get behind this idea. And, he could get behind them spending more time together. Now all he had to do was apologize and convince Sarah to forget his stupid comment. Shouldn't be too hard he thought as he went inside and headed for the stairs. She'd already proven she was committed to them by going upstairs instead of going home.

While Jethro was thinking Sarah was doing just as she'd said she was going to do. She washed her face, brushed her teeth and changed into some sleep shorts and cami. Then she settled on the bed with her book and waited. She knew Jethro would do exactly as she'd requested; he'd think about what he'd said and then come talk to her. She thought she knew what he'd tell her but she wasn't 100% sure. Her bet was that he would apologize and they'd talk about it and things would be fine. There was always the small chance Jethro would stick to his guns and tell her not to think about including him in her future. If they managed to stay together fine but she shouldn't count on it was the other option. Sarah didn't like that option but if that was his choice she'd live with. For a while. And, she was still resigning.

Two chapters later Jethro walked in the bedroom and found Sarah just barely still awake. She looked up at him and smiled that smile that he had grown to appreciate so much over the last many months. The smile that said, 'I love you and I like you very much'.

Jethro went to the bed and motioned for her to scoot over. He sat down beside her hip and leaned down to kiss her.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself. You okay?"

"Sure. I'd like to retract my last comment downstairs."

"Okay. Anything you want to say in its place?"

He leaned into her, one hand on the bed and the other playing in her hair. He kissed her again this time with more intent and more feeling.

"Come to think of it, I might like it if you weren't the Secretary of the Navy. If that's what you want to do I'm all for it."

"Really? What changed your mind?"

"I can't argue with you wanting to spend more time with your mom and with Megan. And, I kinda like the idea of you spending more time with me. I like the idea of people losing interest in us."

Sarah laughed, "Yes that will be nice won't it? What about me thinking of you in my future? You okay with that?"

"Very much. I don't know what it means exactly but I know I don't want to lose you. I can't see myself letting you go."

"Good because I have no intention of letting you go either. Jethro, we don't have to give what we have some kind of official title or name. I just want to enjoy the life we have and spend as much time with you and my family as possible. Coming so close to losing you made me realize very clearly that I do love you. I tried not to for all the reasons we've already talked about but in the end I couldn't help it."

"Me too. I love you, Sarah. I know what I said downstairs hurt you and when you stood up there was just a second when I thought you were going to leave. When you came upstairs instead I remembered I finally had someone I could trust to stick with me. I know I'm not easy and the last several months have been particularly difficult but you're still here and sometimes that still takes me by surprise."

"I know and I understand. Just remember, I'm not going anywhere. I won't give up or get tired or lose interest. You mean too much to me Jethro. More than you know, I think."

"Sarah, you make me happy and no one has done that in a very long time."

She reached for his hands and gave him a quick kiss. Then she sat back and said, "I believe you said something about being useful. Think you might show me what you meant?"

"Yes ma'am I believe I would very much like to do that."

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Here's the second and last part of this little story. I meant to say in Part 1 that I'm not sure what Sarah's daughter's name was in the episode so if it wasn't Megan, that's all my bad. Happy 4th of July everyone!

Endings and Beginnings

Part 2

 **Just over one year later…**

Jethro was sitting on his back deck with a cup of coffee and the sports page when his phone chirped. Since he was officially on leave he checked the caller ID before he answered. When he saw who was calling he smiled and happily answered.

"Good morning beautiful. Big day today."

"Yes it is. Did you catch your bad guy yesterday?"

"We did. It was a late night though. Got home about midnight and to bed about one."

"Then why are you up so early?"

"Well, when I woke up and you weren't next to me I figured there wasn't any reason to be in bed."

Sarah laughed. "We've had too many of those nights in the last month. I miss you."

"I know, me too. It has been a crazy busy month but starting today I'm all yours for the next ten days anyway."

"Oh, I can't wait to get you alone on a beach far, far away from NCIS and everything else."

"I'm ready. But, first we have to get Megan graduated and off to Colorado with her dad. Then you and I are off to St. John."

"I can't believe my baby girl is graduating and leaving me."

"She's only going to Denver for two weeks. She'll be home for two months before she goes to Tech. I thought you were ready for her to go."

"I did too. But now I'm not. I'll be alone and I haven't been alone since Richard and I got married 25 years ago. I'm not sure I'll like it."

When Jethro didn't say anything Sarah thought maybe she'd hurt his feelings. They both agreed their relationship was for the long term but they lived apart and often went days without seeing each other. This past month was a perfect example; Jethro had been gone for a week and then home and then gone again for five days and when he was in town he was so busy they rarely saw each other much less spent any quality, adult time together.

"Hey, I didn't mean alone as in not with anyone. I just meant…."

"I know. It will be strange but it's the natural order of things. Megan's ready to get out and spread her wings and you know that's exactly what you want her to do. What you've been teaching her to do all her life."

"Of course you're right. Just a little bit emotional about today I guess. I better get busy. Megan and I are going for manicures at ten and her dad is picking her up at one for lunch and they'll meet us at the school at four. I love you Jethro."

"I love you too. I'll see you at three, okay?"

"Yes that's perfect. Bye."

"Bye babe."

Jethro finished his coffee and sat back listening to the neighborhood wake up. He let his mind drift back over the last year and all the changes that had taken place. Just about exactly a year ago Sarah had surprised him with the news that she was resigning as the Secretary of the Navy. That had turned out to be a wonderful change for them and their relationship had only gotten stronger over the last year.

With Sarah no longer in a high profile job, she and Jethro could go out to dinner without worrying about it being reported in the next morning's gossip column. They took advantage of that newfound freedom whenever they could. Jethro went to lacrosse games and the school orchestra concert and listened to Sarah worry about Megan driving home at night and the boyfriend and a myriad of other things that parents of teenagers worry about. Truth be told, Jethro often laid awake at night worrying when he knew Megan was out for a school function or on a date. More than once he'd stayed at Sarah's house late just to wait until Megan got home before leaving. He had rescinded his no-staying-at-Sarah's-house rule many months ago but still he didn't stay there all that often. When he thought about it he couldn't reason why that was. Most likely that would be changing once Megan was off to college.

Sarah had enjoyed her summer of unemployment but in the fall she had taken a part-time position at American University giving a series of lectures on government and policy issues. She loved it. Jethro missed having her in her old position but had to admit he liked having her out of the limelight.

Jethro thought back over the weekends he'd spent at Sarah's house doing nothing special; just hanging out with Megan coming and going and regular life happening around them. He realized that for the first time since losing Shannon and Kelly that he was once again part of a family. He was happy and content.

Luckily for Jethro, Megan was very supportive of his relationship with her mom. In fact she had been encouraging it from the very beginning. He hated to think what might have happened between he and Sarah if her daughter had been opposed to them as a couple. Not a pretty picture for sure. As it was Megan had become a bit of a confidant for Jethro where Sarah was concerned and had helped him navigate a couple of potentially difficult situations. That was why about a month ago he had asked Megan for some advice concerning her mom and their future. While Sarah was giving a talk one Saturday afternoon Megan stopped by to see what Jethro was building. He was working on a cedar chest for Director Vance's daughter when Megan showed up with a pizza and her very own homemade chocolate chip cookies. Two things she knew Jethro loved.

" _Hi, mind if I come down?"_

 _Jethro made a show of sniffing the air and smiled at her. "Not at all if my nose isn't deceiving me. Pepperoni and fresh cookies?"_

" _Your nose is working fine. Here, take these and I'll get some drinks."_

 _Megan handed the goodies to Jethro and disappeared back upstairs for two Cokes. They made quick work of the pizza while Megan filled Jethro in on the latest news of her friends, her college plans and her boyfriend, Ethan. Megan ran her hand over the cedar plank Jethro was working on._

" _How do you get it so smooth?"_

" _Lots of sanding. Nothing particularly difficult; just the same thing over and over again."_

" _It's relaxing I bet."_

" _Takes my mind off things. I like the process almost as much as the result."_

" _How does it go together?"_

 _Jethro spent the next hour showing Megan how he put the sides, and back together with pegs and wood glue. Then he showed her how the floor would slide into a slot he'd made in the sides, back and front pieces._

" _Wouldn't it be easier with nails or screws?"_

" _Sure but it's the process remember. Besides, this way is better, lasts longer and is more fun."_

" _More work you mean but I see how you'd like it. Very detailed and precise. Like you, Jethro."_

" _That a bad thing or a good thing?"_

" _It's definitely good. You're a good guy, Jethro. I'm really glad you and my mom are together."_

" _Thank you. I'm pretty glad myself. And glad you're in the mix."_

" _Is it hard for you having me around? Because of Kelly I mean?"_

 _Jethro paused for just an instant wondering why Megan would ask him that after all this time. She'd been coming to the basement for months watching him work on one project or another._

" _No, not at all. Why do you ask?"_

" _My mom worried a while ago that it might be. I hope it's not because I really like coming over here. It's so quiet and I like seeing what you're building."_

" _Megan, your mom worries too much. You're not any kind of problem or bad reminder at all. I enjoy having you here. Okay?"_

" _Okay, thanks."_

" _I want to ask you something about your mom if that's alright."_

" _Sure, ask away."_

" _Does your mom ever talk about what she wants to do in the future?"_

 _Megan looked at him and smiled her mother's smile and Jethro was reminded once again what Sarah must have looked like at 17._

" _You mean about work or about you?"_

 _Jethro laughed. "About me."_

" _She hasn't said anything lately. She asked me a long time ago if I was alright with you being part of our lives for the long term. Of course I said I was very fine with that. I've been in favor of you from the start you know."_

" _Yes, I know and I appreciate that."_

" _Jethro, are you planning something?"_

" _Maybe."_

" _Wait, you're not breaking up with her are you? Because you can't do that!"_

" _No, I'm not doing that. No way."_

" _Are you thinking of proposing?"_

" _Sort of."_

" _What does that mean? Is there such a thing as sort of proposing?"_

 _Jethro sidestepped that question and asked, "Megan, do you know how many time's I've been married?"_

" _Yes, four. That's not relevant though. Not to me and not to my mom either."_

" _But it's relevant to me. I love your mom and I don't want to screw up what we have. I do however want her to understand that I intend to be with her for as long as she'll have me. I need to let her know that in a special way."_

" _More than just telling her you mean? Some kind of gesture?"_

" _Exactly. Telling isn't exactly my strong suit."_

" _You say that but I don't agree. You always know what to say Jethro and you say it well. That's so much better than talking all the time and not saying anything. What are you thinking of doing?"_

" _A ring. Not an engagement ring because I'm not proposing but something special that would show her I'm serious about us staying together for a long time."_

" _I think that's perfect. She'll love it. But, Jethro what if she wanted to get married?"_

" _Does she?"_

" _No. I mean she hasn't said so but I know she loves you. She's not super traditional but what if she did? What if she asked you?"_

" _I wouldn't turn her down."_

 _Megan smiled that great smile again and gave him a hug._

" _Whatever you do she'll love it."_

That was why Jethro had a ring box secreted away in his underwear drawer upstairs. A ring box he planned to take on their vacation and give to Sarah when they were finally on a secluded beach in St. John tomorrow. He'd been rehearsing what he'd say for days but he knew when the moment came he'd probably forget all that and just tell her the truth; he loved her and he didn't want to imagine his life without her in it. First though they had to get through Megan's graduation and a celebration dinner with her father. They had plane reservations at zero dark-thirty in the morning and by tomorrow evening they'd be alone on a quiet beach where they could forget about everything but each other for ten glorious days.

Jethro got up, went inside and came back out minutes later to mow the lawn and get things in order for him to be gone for two weeks. An couple of hours later he was finished and went upstairs to shower and pack for his first real vacation in years. As he closed his suitcase and started downstairs he heard the front door open and his favorite teenager calling his name.

"Jethro, you in here?"

"Hey, kiddo what're you doin' here? Thought you and your mom were getting your nails done."

"Hi, we're going at ten. I wanted to see you alone and I figured once the festivities get started I won't have the chance. Looks like you're ready to travel."

"Not till we get you graduated. Come on in. Want something to drink?"

"I'll take a Coke if you have one."

"You know I do. For you. What's on your mind?"

Jethro got them both a soda and watched as Megan fidgeted with her bag and finally sat down at the kitchen table. Jethro leaned against the counter wondering what was going on. Hoping it wasn't something about her mom and the call earlier. When Megan didn't say anything after a few moments Jethro really started to worry.

"Megan, everything alright?"

"Oh yeah, sorry. I wanted to tell you how much I've enjoyed this past year coming over here and spending time with you. You've really stepped up and been a great friend and more than that really. With my dad gone I feel like you've sort of filled that place. And you did a really good job of it."

"Thank you. It's been a fun year for me too. I've enjoyed having you come over and getting to know you. You're a special young woman and I'm honored to step in for your father; not take his place of course but be here for you."

Megan reached into her bag and pulled out a gift box wrapped and tied with ribbon.

"This is just a small way for me to say that I love you Jethro and I'm very glad to have you in my life."

Megan's eyes filled with tears and Jethro was afraid his were too. She stood up and handed him the present and Jethro pulled her into a hug. Megan wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. Then she stepped back and wiped her eyes.

"I hope you like it."

Jethro took off the ribbon and opened the box. Inside were two very nice silver picture frames. One held a picture of him and Sarah. They had their arms around each other and Sarah was kissing him on the cheek. He was smiling and they both looked very happy. The other picture was of Megan, her mom and Jethro together. He recognized it as being taken after a lacrosse game when Megan scored the winning goal. They were all laughing and obviously having a good time.

"These are great, Megan. Thank you. How'd you get this one?, Jethro asked holding up the picture of him and her mom.

"That was at a game earlier this spring. The school photographer was there so I asked him to try and get a picture of the two of you together. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all. I love it. And this one too. I remember that game. These are really great. Thank you Megan. These mean a lot to me."

"You mean a lot to me, Jethro. I've learned a lot more than woodworking from you this year. I'm going to miss you."

"You won't be that far away. Your mom and I will come see you. Besides, you'll be busy. You'll do fine, Megan. But, I will miss you. Maybe I can get your mom in the basement some."

Megan laughed. "Yeah, maybe. I better go. Gotta get our nails done and Dad's sending a car for me so we can have lunch before the whole thing gets started. We're all still going out for dinner after right?"

"Far as I know. Then you're off to Colorado and your mom and I are off to St. John very early tomorrow morning."

"Hey, what about the ring? Did you get it?"

"Oh, yeah I want you to see it. Hang on."

Jethro ran upstairs and was back in a moment with the ring box. He handed it to Megan and watched her face as she opened it. Her eyes got big and her mouth formed an "O" and she just stared at it for a long time. It was a platinum band with diamonds and sapphires alternately placed across the top in a wide channel.

"Well, what do you think? Will she like it?"

"Oh my god, Jethro it's fabulous. She'll love it but if she doesn't I'll take it. This is the most beautiful ring I've ever seen. Who did this?"

"A friend of mine is a jeweler at his family store in Olde Town. He made it. I mean I told him what I wanted; the stones and the design and he made it. I just picked it up a couple of days ago."

"When are you going to give it to her?'

"The plan is to give it to her while we're gone."

"It's fabulous and she will love it. You did really good Jethro."

"Thanks. And thank you for the pictures. I'll keep them some place special. Now, you better get going. Lots to get done today, young lady."

"I know. I'll see you later."

Jethro gave her a hug and kissed her on the forehead.

"Hey, before you go, how's your mom this morning? She called earlier and sounded kinda upset."

"She's stressing about today for some reason. A couple of nights ago we were talking about college and she started to cry. Said she was going to be alone and she couldn't believe I was going away. Sort of sad but then she pulled herself together and we laughed and it was fine."

"Probably just the excitement of the day. You go on now and have a good time with your dad. I'll see you at the school."

Megan kissed him on the cheek and Jethro hugged her. Then she was out the door.

Jethro thought about what Megan had said and wondered if he should give Sarah the ring today. Maybe that would ease some of her separation anxiety. He decided he'd just play it by ear; see how she was this evening and then decide. It was barely nine o'clock so Jethro decided to go get a haircut and pick up a bottle of wine for he and Sarah for tonight. After that he wasted some time at the specialty lumber store thinking about his next project; an outdoor table for Sarah's deck. He picked up a sub on the way home and took it and a beer out to the deck.

Thinking about the vacation he and Sarah were starting tomorrow Jethro realized he hadn't spent ten consecutive days with a woman since his last divorce and that was a long time ago. This trip had been in the planning stages for months and Jethro was very much looking forward to spending all that uninterrupted time with Sarah.

Sandwich and beer finished Jethro thought about going in to see if there was a ballgame on when he realized he didn't need to be here at home by himself. There was someone a few miles away who he was pretty sure would be happy to see him even if he was more than three hours early. He quickly went inside and upstairs to get his clothes for graduation and his bag for the vacation He put his suit and dress shoes in his suit bag, grabbed his go bag and suitcase and headed for the car.

On the way over he thought about calling to make sure it was okay for him to be early but decided not to bother. If for some reason Sarah wasn't home he had his own key to get in so that wouldn't be a problem. If she was busy he could occupy himself for a couple of hours on her couch as easily as he could on his own. But, if he was lucky she would be home and not busy and maybe interested in making up for lost time. Jethro resisted driving with his fingers crossed but he held a good thought all the way there.

When he pulled in the driveway and saw Sarah's car Jethro smiled to himself. He punched in her number and got out taking his suit bag and go bag with him.

"Well hi."

"Hey would it be okay if I got there a little early?"

"Of course. Come any time. Megan just left to go to her dad's."

"Good because I'm coming in your door now."

Sarah met him in the kitchen and Jethro was very glad he'd decided to be early. She had him in her arms and was kissing him before he could say hello. With a hanging bag in one hand and a duffle in the other Jethro simply stood still and enjoyed the welcome. Sarah finally let him go and stood back.

"I should have come over sooner."

"Yes, you should have. I'm happy to see you."

"I can tell. And I'm happy to see you too. Let me go put these down and I'll be right back to demonstrate that for you. Don't go anywhere."

"Not a chance."

On his way back from the bedroom Jethro heard the phone ring and when he walked into the kitchen Sarah was on the phone. He quickly figured out she was talking to her mom so he knew it might be a while. He began searching for snacks. Sarah saw him and pointed to the cookie jar on the counter. Inside were some of Megan's chocolate chip cookies. Boy did he love that kid! He took several cookies and then poured himself a glass of milk and sat down at the bar. Sarah stood next to him and leaned down to kiss him on the head. He reached for her and pulled her against him and when she leaned into him and put her arm around his shoulders he hoped this conversation didn't last too long.

After a few minutes Sarah said, "Yes, he's right here in fact. Eating Megan's cookies. Sure you can talk to him."

She handed the phone to Jethro and took one of his cookies for herself.

"Hi, Kathryn. Sorry you can't be here today."

" _Me too. Jethro I just wanted to say I hope you two have a wonderful time away. You work too hard. I very happy you're going away with my girl."_

"I'm pretty happy about it myself. When will we be seeing you?"

" _I was just telling Sarah, I'll be there July first or so and spend a couple of weeks. I want to spend some time with Megan before she's off on her great adventure."_

"Great. We'll take in the fireworks and you can join us at Ducky's for his annual 4th of July party. It's a lot of fun."

" _Sounds good. Now, you get back to your cookies and milk and let me tell Sarah goodbye. You take care Jethro and enjoy your vacation."_

"I will. See you soon."

Jethro handed Sarah the phone and went back to his snack. Soon enough Sarah was off the phone. She poured herself a small glass of milk, moved the cookie jar to the bar and joined Jethro.

"So, what have you been doing this morning?"

"Did the yard work, went to get a haircut and picked out the wood for your table."

"Ooh, what'd you choose?"

"It's a surprise. You'll like it though I promise."

"I know I will. And why did you decide to come over now?"

"I miss you. I was sitting around my house and realized I didn't need to be there alone; I could come over here and sit around with you. Or at least in the same house as you if you had stuff to do."

"I like your thinking. As it happens I don't really have stuff to do. All my stuff is done and I'm packed for the trip. My nails are done, my dress is ready. What in the world will we do for the next couple of hours?"

Jethro looked at her and fell in love all over again. The gleam in her eyes was unmistakable. Sarah was so easy to be with; she never had a hidden agenda and she always made Jethro feel like he mattered more than almost anyone else in the world to her. Whenever they were together her total attention was on him but she never seemed to be smothering or demanding. She let him know that she enjoyed him and wanted to be with him even if they were just watching television or sitting quietly on the deck reading the morning paper. There was never any drama with Sarah and after so many years and so many women steeped in drama that was a more than welcome change.

"Have I told you lately that I love you, Sarah Porter?"

"Not since the phone this morning. I was hoping we might discuss that in more depth while we have some free time."

"You know, I'm really more into demonstration than discussion."

"Demonstration is even better."

They took their time with each other and Jethro demonstrated his love for her in every way he knew she enjoyed. When they first became lovers Sarah was just a little bit intimidated by the idea of having sex with the legendary Leroy Jethro Gibbs. After all he'd been married four times and had a reputation as something of a serial dater. She knew about Jenny and Hollis Mann and a few other women Jethro had dated and she assumed, slept with. Sarah had been married for over twelve years before her divorce and as a single mom and then a woman in a high profile position, her dating life had been pretty unremarkable and her sex life hardly worth mentioning.

She tried to explain her reservations to Jethro one night when it seemed they were headed for more than just making out on the couch.

" _It's been a while and I'm just not…."_

 _He had interrupted her with a sweet, slow kiss and then he said, "We're not goin' anywhere you don't want to go."_

" _Jethro, it's not so much about want; I want you. Maybe I just feel out of practice or something. I mean, I'm not completely without experience but it's been a while. I was married for a long time to my college sweetheart. Then I was a single parent and there just wasn't time for dating."_

" _Sarah, first of all you're in charge here. You set the pace and we go where and when you say. And, there are no comparisons here. I don't do that. You know who I am. You are the only person in my head and the only person I'm interested in. Do you trust me?"_

" _Yes. Completely."_

" _Then just relax and let things go where they will. We're not on any timetable here. I'm not going anywhere."_

Two dates and one very late night later Sarah's hesitation disappeared. Jethro had come over on a Saturday night after a terrible week at work and she knew he needed some time to decompress without conversation or even company. In fact she was surprised; and pleased, that he'd come to her instead of his locking himself away in his basement. She left him alone on the couch and went to the store. When she got back he was feeling a little better and they spent the afternoon talking and watching an old movie. That evening he grilled salmon and she shared a wonderful meal and a bottle of wine. That night her instinct to comfort Jethro overwhelmed her hesitancy and they became lovers. That night was a beautiful memory for Sarah. Even though she was a little nervous, the tenderness and care Jethro showed her that night had taken her breath away. She could never have imagined he would be so gentle and so generous a lover. She wondered at the time if his demeanor was because her earlier hesitation but she soon learned that he was always that thoughtful and careful with her.

Despite her earlier reservations, once they became lovers she never doubted herself again and that was due in large part to how Jethro made her feel every time they were together; cherished and safe. They had a lot of fun together in and out of the bedroom. They rarely disagreed on any important aspect of their relationship and Jethro's easy, affectionate way with her meant Sarah found herself falling in love despite her long held aversion to such an idea. Jethro had simply overwhelmed her with patience, kindness and that special something that was just "Gibbs". The fact that Megan liked him so much was a wonderful and important bonus. Now her mother was on the bandwagon as well so there were three generations of Porter women all loving him in their own way.

After spending a couple of hours in bed making love and talking and napping and then making love again, Jethro untangled himself from a very satisfied, very happy woman and made his way to the bathroom. When he came back ten minutes later he was wearing only a towel and his hair was wet. He sat down on the bed beside Sarah's hip and leaned down to kiss her.

"Hey, you showered without me."

"Yeah because we have some place to be in about an hour and if you got in there with me I don't think we'd make it. In fact if I didn't get up when I did I was going to sleep for hours. You wear me out woman."

"I do? That's a good thing though right? I mean you're not complaining are you?"

"Hell no. I have no complaints where you're concerned. Now, I'm going to finish getting ready. Want me to run you a bath?"

"Oh that sounds wonderful but I better settle for a quick shower. Maybe you'd be persuaded to share a bath with me tonight?"

"You are certainly welcome to persuade me all you want."

Jethro leaned down and kissed her. Her hands pulled at him until he was lying on her and the towel was of no use whatsoever. Sarah reached down and stroked him and that was the end of getting ready for the next little while. When Jethro entered her for the third time that afternoon, Sarah just smiled that wonderful smile at him and he figured they could save some time by sharing the shower after all.

They did manage to get ready and leave the house in plenty of time. Naturally Jethro was ready and waiting in the kitchen long before Sarah walked in dressed and looking very put together.

"You look beautiful."

"Thank you. I think an afternoon workout is the key. You look very handsome in that suit by the way."

"Thanks. Tell you what. We'll work out every afternoon on the vacation if you think that helps."

"Sure can't hurt."

"I came in the truck so we better take your car."

Sarah handed him her keys and kissed him carefully. "I like your truck you know."

"I do know but I think the car goes better with your dress. Let's go before I decide I need another kiss."

When they went outside Jethro reached in the truck and got the gift box Megan had given him. In the car he handed it to Sarah and said, "Look what I got today."

"A present? From whom?"

"From Megan of course. Who else would be giving me a present?"

"I have no idea."

Sarah slid off the ribbon Jethro had retied and lifted the lid as Jethro backed out of the driveway.

"Oh, these are wonderful! I want some too."

"You can come to my house and look at them anytime you want."

"Jethro these are so great. What a nice thing for Megan to do."

"I know. I was very surprised and very pleased. You did good Sarah. Megan is a great person. You should be very proud of yourself for how she's turning out."

"Thank you. Her dad gets some credit too even though it pains me some to say that. He was a good dad especially when Megan was little. He still is I suppose. She does love you Jethro. You know that right?"

"Yeah I know. She said so today in fact."

Sarah reached for his hand and laced their fingers together. "You have really been a big help to Sarah this year with her dad away. She has come to depend on you and I hope that's okay."

"It's very okay. I know you worry that her being with me is hard for me but it's not. I will admit that once in a while I look at Sarah and think about all the things I missed but I do the same thing with Emily. Kelly will always be eight in my mind. I love Megan and I have enjoyed having her in my life."

"Thank you Jethro. What would we have done if she was one of those teenagers who didn't want their divorced parent to find anyone else?"

"I don't think we'd be going to graduation together that's for sure."

"Ugh, I don't want to think about it. We're lucky and let's enjoy that."

"Good plan."

They arrived in plenty of time to find Megan and her dad and get seated before Megan went to join her classmates. The ceremony was long and tedious like most graduation ceremonies. Thankfully it was a private school so the class wasn't huge and they moved along fairly quickly. Still, about halfway through Sarah leaned over and whispered in Jethro's ear, "I'm starving."

He smirked and whispered back, "Maybe you shouldn't work out in the afternoon unless you remember to pack a snack."

She punched him in the arm.

Finally it was over and after many photos with classmates and lots of hugs and goodbyes they were on their way to an early dinner. At Megan's request they were eating at a small Italian restaurant Jethro had taken her mother to on their first official date. Later he'd taken Sarah and Megan and now it was their go-to dinner choice. Jethro had eaten there for years and the owners knew him well. They always got the best table and personal service.

The food was perfect as usual and they had a nice dinner. Conversation with Richard was not awkward at all because they all got along well. Richard and Jethro spent some time talking about a love of fishing and camping in the mountains something they had in common. In fact Richard and Megan were going to spend several days doing that while she was there. They were both excited about their plans. Too soon the evening had to end as Megan and her dad had to catch a late flight to Denver. Jethro paid the bill and they walked to their cars to say goodbye.

"Have fun mom. Let me know when you get there, okay?"

"I will. You have a good time with your dad. I'll see you in a couple of weeks. I love you, Megan."

"Love you too."

Megan gave Jethro a hug and he kissed her on the forehead and told her to have fun. "I'll bring your mom back all rested and ready for your summer at home."

"Have fun you guys. Bye."

Jethro and Richard shook hands and promised to take care of their respective women. Sarah hugged Richard and then Megan again and they all finally got in their cars to leave. Jethro looked over to see Sarah wiping her eyes.

"Hey, it's just two weeks. She'll be fine and have fun. And so will we."

"I know. I'm just emotional for some reason. I'm fine. Let's go home and have dessert."

"My god woman how can you want dessert? I'm stuffed."

"There's always room for ice cream, Jethro. Haven't you learned that by now?"

Jethro just laughed and drove them home.

After changing into some lounging clothes and hanging up their dress clothes, Sarah and Jethro went to the kitchen for Sarah's favorite food. While they were changing Jethro had slipped the ring in his pocket in case he decided to give it to Sarah tonight.

Sarah got out bowls and spoons and the ice cream scoop while Jethro got the ice cream and toppings. Sarah fixed herself a double-dip hot fudge sundae with whipped cream and nuts on top. Jethro settled for two dips of chocolate almond. The evening was not too hot and there was a nice breeze keeping the humidity down so they sat on the deck and enjoyed their dessert. When they were finished Jethro took their bowls back inside and returned with two glasses of wine.

"I know wine and ice cream might not mix too well but we need to celebrate tonight. Right?"

"Of course. Come sit with me."

Jethro sat next to her on the glider taking her free hand in his and kissing her. They talked about their trip tomorrow and what they wanted to do while they were there. Jethro had already arranged to rent a sailboat for them for a few days and they were very much looking forward to that. And long walks on the beach and being lazy and making love whenever the mood struck. Sarah had investigated the shopping prospects so Jethro knew at least one day would be spent following her around and carrying bags for her.

When their glasses were empty they decided to go inside. Sarah got them refills while Jethro turned on some music in the living room. When she joined him he held out his hand and asked, "Dance with me?"

Dancing with Jethro was maybe Sarah's second favorite thing to do with him. He was a wonderful dancer and being held gently but firmly against him was always a good thing. They moved around the living room slowly, enjoying the music and the pleasure of being together. After a while Jethro kissed her long and slow and Sarah thought she just might pass out. He finally let her catch her breath and she led them to the couch. She took a sip of wine, closed her eyes, and let her head fall back against the cushion. Jethro took a drink, made his decision, and sat down on the coffee table in front of Sarah. When she opened her eyes she found Jethro watching her with a small smile on his handsome face.

"Don't fall asleep."

"Why not? We have to be up at some obscenely early hour remember?"

"Yes, I do remember but if you fall asleep now you won't get your present."

That got her attention. Sarah sat up and put her hands on his knees which were on either side of her legs effectively trapping her in place on the couch.

"Present? Why am I getting a present?"

"Because I love you."

"Oh. Well, I'm sorry to say I don't have a present for you even though I love you back."

Jethro put his hand in his pocked and palmed the ring. He withdrew his hand but kept it closed tightly. Sarah looked at him and grinned.

"So, not a book or candy or clothes."

"Nope. Give me a minute."

Sarah saw the serious look on his face and thought she knew what was coming. She wasn't sure what she wanted this mystery gift to be but she had a sneaking suspicion she knew. And she wasn't sure how she felt about that if she was right.

Jethro knew she'd suspect a proposal so he needed to squelch that in the beginning. He took a deep breath and tried to remember his speech.

"Okay, here goes. Try not to interrupt. First of all I'm not proposing so relax."

Sarah couldn't help but laugh just a little bit. They knew each other pretty well.

"This gift is meant to do two things. First it's a way to say thank you for sharing your daughter with me this past year and a half. You and Megan have given me something I never expected to have again and that's a family. Being part of your lives is the best thing that's happened to me in such a long time."

Jethro had to stop and take a breath because he was getting choked up. Sarah took the opportunity to put her hands on his face and give him a sweet, slow kiss.

"You're welcome. We love you Jethro and having you in our lives has made them richer and much more fun."

"So, the second thing this present is meant to do is to let you know that for as long as you want me around you'll never be alone. I know Megan leaving home will an adjustment for you but you are not alone, Sarah. I will always be here for you and I mean that in every way you can imagine. I don't know how you will ever be able to get rid of me."

With that he took her right hand and slipped the ring on her finger.

"This ring is a promise to you that I will always love you and always be someone you can depend on no matter what comes along. I love you more than I can really tell you."

Sarah hadn't taken her eyes off his face but now she looked down at the ring and gasped. It was the most stunning thing she had ever seen.

"Oh my god Jethro this is magnificent! I've never seen anything so beautiful. Certainly not your typical promise ring!"

"Nothin' typical about us."

Sarah threw her arms about his neck and hugged him tightly. She had tears of happiness in her eyes and when she drew back and looked at the man responsible for them she saw he had some tears of his own.

"My goodness, I don't know what to say. I love this. It's really the most beautiful ring I've ever seen. And it fits perfectly. It's perfect in every way. How did you know the right size?"

"Hey, I'm a Federal Agent who investigates stuff, remember?"

"Stuff? Right. You asked Megan didn't you."

"Of course. I'm glad you like it."

"Jethro, like doesn't even begin to cover it. It's stunning. I've never seen anything like it. Did you design this?"

"Yeah. I told a friend in the jewelry business what I wanted and he helped me with the design and then he made it. It's one of kind; just like you."

Sarah couldn't take her eyes off the ring now sitting perfectly on her right hand.

"You were afraid I was going to ask you to get married weren't you?"

"Afraid isn't the right word. I thought maybe that's where you were going and I wasn't sure what I thought of the idea. Can we table that discussion for another time? I'd really like to enjoy this for a while."

"Sure. I know you've kinda been struggling with Megan leaving and I just wanted to be sure you know you're not really going to be alone. Unless you want to be that is."

"This is a wonderful, extravagant way of telling me that. Thank you, Jethro. I love it and I love you."

"I'm glad. Now, as you said, we have to be up and out of here pretty early so how about we call it a night. Don't you have some packing to do?"

"No, all finished. My bag's by the door all ready to go."

"One suitcase? That's all you're taking?"

"Yes. I'm a light packer. Besides I plan on wearing a bathing suit or nothing at all a good deal of the time. That doesn't take up much room."

"I like the sound of that. I never knew there was such a thing as a woman who was a light packer. You're full of surprises."

Late the next evening they finally settled into their beach bungalow in St. John. Both of them were exhausted from traveling all day but they couldn't go to bed without at least a short walk on the beach. They left their bags on the bed and walked outside to enjoy the perfect evening. It didn't take much fresh air and sea breeze before both Jethro and Sarah were yawning and fighting to stay awake. They made their way back to their rooms, unpacked, showered together and fell into bed too exhausted to do anything but kiss each other goodnight.

For the next two days the happy couple slept late, walked on the beach and enjoyed the warm, clear water. The first day they did some grocery shopping so they could eat whenever they wanted to without going out or mingling with other people. They enjoyed the solitude as much as the beach. Jethro particularly seemed to be decompressing those first two days and Sarah was very glad to see that happening. She doubted he even realized it but to her it was very clear that he had desperately needed this vacation. Jethro loved his job and of course was very good at it but Sarah knew it was taking its toll on him. He often didn't sleep well, he ate poorly when he was working for days on end and of course he drank too much coffee. Ducky had told her that since she and Jethro got together he had seen a lot of improvement in Jethro's overall life but he admitted Jethro still drove himself too hard. Sarah did her best to take care of him but Jethro even now resisted her efforts sometimes. Watching him dozing in a lounge chair under the shade of an umbrella, Sarah wished they could stay on the beach forever.

Sarah always took the ring off when they went to the beach and each time she did so she missed having it on. When she put it back on she always took a moment to enjoy it and think about what Jethro had said when he gave it to her. And, about their aborted conversation about marriage. A conversation she knew they would be having in the next few days. When they first became lovers and talked seriously about their future as a couple they were in agreement that marriage was not what they were looking for. Now though Sarah wondered if that had changed. Sometimes she wanted to be married to Jethro and other times she asked herself why? What difference would it make? They were happy together, spent more time together than lots of married people did and had great sex so why should they get married? She had no answers to those questions but every now and then she felt that pull to be "officially" tied to Jethro forever. However long that might be.

Jethro had watched Sarah put on the ring one evening as they got ready to go out to dinner and he saw how she studied it and seemed lost in thought. He too thought about the whole marriage question and he had the same conflicting answers to his own questions. Naturally he didn't put much stock in the idea that marrying someone led to 'happily ever after'. That had certainly not been the case for him. On the other had he knew Sarah was not like any of his ex-wives. He knew he wasn't the same unhappy, replacement-seeking guy he had been all those years ago. He had no interest in ever being with another woman and was committed in his mind and heart to be with Sarah forever. So, should he ask her to marry him? That led to all sorts of other things that Jethro simply hadn't had the energy or time to think about.

After three days at the bungalow, they went to the marina and loaded provisions on the sailboat Jethro had rented. They planned to be out for three or four days and had plenty of food and drinks for that time. Jethro and the agent spent an hour going over the boat from one end to the other as well as the radio and navigation systems. They didn't plan to be too far away from the island but safety first was always the best practice. Sarah had no qualms about sailing with Jethro; she'd been out with him many times at home and knew he was as at home on the water as he was on land. He was very cautious and capable and she trusted him completely.

Finally they were under way and sailed out of the marina into open water. The boat was a bit larger than Jethro's but he handled it with ease. Sarah got all their supplies stowed in the cabin then went topside with drinks and sunscreen. Jethro was in his element and she loved watching him relax and enjoy himself.

"You look pretty happy there my friend."

"I am happy. How can I not be happy; sailing a terrific boat in perfect water with a beautiful woman on board. It's a dream come true."

Sarah laughed and leaned down to kiss him. It was a perfect day and she couldn't imagine anything that would make her happier than she was right then.

The first day of sailing was wonderful and that night they sat on the deck and marveled at the breathtaking display of stars. They were anchored in a small cove the marina agent had recommended as the perfect place to spend their first night. Supper had been sandwiches, fruit and beer and now they lying side-by-side on a blow-up mattress watching the stars.

Pretty soon Sarah scooted closer and laid her head on Jethro's shoulder. Not long after that Jethro had her out of her tee shirt and shorts and they made love under those magnificent stars. They fell asleep then covered by a light blanket and lulled by the gentle swaying of the boat. The dawn found them still there and when Jethro opened his eyes for the first time he couldn't believe they were still on the deck. Sarah woke up to him kissing her gently and running his hand down her side. She happily rolled over on top of him and they started the day the same way they'd ended the previous one; making sweet love.

That was pretty much the routine for the next two days so by the time they were nearing the end of their sailing adventure Sarah was sorry to be heading back to dry land.

"Jethro, this has been the most fabulous three days I could imagine. It has been so much fun I can't believe it. Do we have to go back?"

"Well, I guess we could just keep sailing until we came to another island and charge the boat to the credit card and disappear."

"Yes, maybe not a good idea I guess. But can we do it again sometime?"

"Absolutely. We'll come back next year and keep the boat for a week. How's that sound?"

"Perfect. I'm sorry we only have four more days left of our time here. I think it's been good for you to be away. You seem very relaxed and happy."

"It has been good. I know I needed to get away but you know how it is; the work is always there."

"But you don't always have to be the one to do it."

"I do if it's our case."

"I know. I just hate that you work so much. I worry about the toll it's taking on you."

"Can't get out yet, Sarah. You know I'm not ready for that."

"Yes, I do know. I'm not saying you should. I'm just saying I wish there weren't so many long nights but that's the job and I don't want you to get out. Is it okay if I worry?"

"Yes. I promise I'll try and let DiNozzo do more. He's ready anyway. Now, no more talk about work. In fact no more talk at all."

With that he pulled her close and kissed her. That led to more kissing and pretty soon Jethro dropped the sail and they went below to enjoy each other one last time before they sailed back to the marina.

When they got back to their bungalow Sarah called Megan in Colorado while Jethro took a long, relaxing shower. As much as he loved being on the open water in a sailboat, Jethro did miss the luxury of a shower where the hot water lasted more than a few minutes. He was just finished drying off when Sarah knocked on the door.

"I'm finished. C'mon in."

"Oh, I'm too late!"

"I can go again but I think you'll enjoy having all that water to yourself. It feels pretty good after our short, lukewarm showers of the past few days."

"Yes, I think I will enjoy it. Megan says hi."

"How's her visit going?"

"She's having fun. They went camping and just got back yesterday. She said she caught the biggest fish. She sounded good."

"I'm glad. She and her dad get along well. That's important."

"Yes, they have a good relationship and he's always been good to her. I think he's seeing someone there and Megan likes her so that's another good thing."

"You know, the way Megan navigates all these relationships in her life is a reflection of what a good job the two of you and mostly you, have done with her. You're a good mom, Sarah."

"Thank you. She's been an easy child for the most part. Very little of that teenage drama so many families struggle with. We were lucky."

"What do you say we put on our good clothes tonight and go find some real food. I need a steak."

Sarah laughed and kissed him. "I could eat something substantial myself. I'm tired of sandwiches and microwave food."

"Take your time in there and enjoy the shower. I'm going to give Ducky a call and then I'll find us a place to eat."

Jethro found a great restaurant where he had what he called a 'nearly perfect' steak and Sarah had a beautiful, delicious lobster. They shared a bottle of wine and then a decadent piece of cheesecake to finish off a wonderful meal. When they got back to their rooms they took a walk on the beach in the moonlight. A perfect ending to a beautiful day.

"That was a delicious meal. You did good, babe."

"It was terrific. I believe you were the most beautiful woman in the room."

Jethro took her in his arms a kissed her breath away. "I love you."

"I love you too. Tomorrow I'm going shopping so you get a whole day, or most of a day at least, all to yourself."

"Really? You don't want me to go with you. Carry your bags?"

"No, I think I need a little 'me' time. Just a little though. I'll be back in time for our before dinner swim."

"Okay, if you're sure."

"I am."

"Now, how about we go back to the room and see if we still like sex when the bed's not swaying back and forth."

"I'm pretty sure I will but you're right we better go find out."

About an hour later Jethro collapsed on his back and while he was still trying to catch his breath Sarah moved over on top of him and said, "You know, I still like it even though the bed wasn't moving."

Jethro laughed, "I don't know, it seemed to me something was moving."

Sarah stretched out on him and said quietly, "It was perfect, Jethro. As always."

When Jethro woke up the next morning Sarah was already dressed and sitting outside with her coffee and her book. He noticed she wasn't reading though. She was just looking out at the water and playing with her ring. He'd noticed her doing that a couple of times last night too; sort of spacing out and turning the ring around and around on her finger. He wondered what she was thinking about. They had never revisited the marriage conversation that barely started the night he gave her the ring. He figured that might need to happen before they went home and time for that to happen was dwindling. Before he could come to any decision about that Sarah stood up and came toward him.

"Well good morning sleepyhead. I was just coming in to wake you up for breakfast."

"You wore me out last night I guess. And no, that's not a complaint. You looked pretty deep in thought out there. Anything on your mind?"

"No, I just can't take my eyes off this gorgeous water. You hungry?"

"Yes, c'mon let's get some breakfast."

After breakfast Sarah took their rental car and headed off to do some shopping. She wanted to get something for Megan and her mother and maybe something sexy for Jethro to get her out of tonight. She also wanted some time alone to think; something she often had trouble doing when Jethro was around. She was dreading the end of their trip because it meant going home and that meant being apart. For many months Sarah had wanted them to come to some agreement to change their living arrangement. She wanted them to live together but they hadn't ever really talked about it and she didn't know how they would work that out. She knew Jethro was not likely to sell his house; too many memories there that he was not willing to part with. She understood that but since she wasn't thrilled about the idea of giving up her house either they were at an impasse. Jethro's house was certainly large enough for them but he would be the first to admit it needed lots of updating.

Then there was the ring and the sweet speech that Jethro had made when he slipped it on her finger. She loved the ring and the things Jethro had said but there was one small issue. She was beginning to want the ring on her other hand. They had not talked about marriage for a long time and never about the two of them getting married. The only real discussion they'd had on the subject was one in which they both said they didn't want to remarry and didn't see the need to do so. Now though, Sarah was starting to feel differently about the subject. She knew she loved Jethro and wanted to be with him forever and he'd said as much to her. She also knew they could continue as where were or even live together without the formality of being married and nothing would have to change. Why then was she suddenly feeling the urge to marry Jethro?

Sarah loved shopping; going in and out of stores, talking to the people, browsing through the clothes and merchandise. She didn't have to buy something to enjoy the experience. After checking out several small shops and boutiques she found one that had exactly what she'd been hoping for in terms of gifts for her mom and Megan. With those purchases out of the way Sarah concentrated on finding something for herself. About an hour later, laden with several bags she found a café with shady, outside seating and decided to stop for some refreshments. She indulged in a piece of lemon cake and some iced tea. While she was enjoying her treat she got a text from Jethro.

" _How's the shopping. Bought me anything yet?"_

" _It's great. No. Love you."_

" _Almost finished? Miss you."_

" _Not sure. Suck it up Marine. XOXO"_

" _Right. See ya whenever. XOXO._

Sarah smiled and put her phone away. Sometimes Jethro could be needy. She liked that. But today he'd have to manage for a while longer by himself. Sarah had her eye on a gift shop down the street and then she had plans to find a quiet spot near the beach to think about their future. The gift shop had some nice things and Sarah picked up a few more small items she could get in her bag on the way home. On her way to the car to put her bags away she passed a jewelry store and stopped to look in the window.

The window display showed some really nice silver bracelets so Sarah decided to come back after stowing her bags. Once in the store, she was pleased to find the bracelets were not that expensive so she chose one for herself and one for Megan. While she looked around at other beautiful necklaces and bracelets she found herself checking out the wedding rings. The clerk, a young woman with long, silky black hair and green eyes noticed Sarah's ring.

"What a beautiful ring, ma'am."

"Thank you. It's new and I can't stop looking at it myself."

"He must love you a lot."

"Yes, he does."

"You are looking at wedding rings. You are not married but want to be?"

Sarah laughed softly. "I'm not sure. I think I'd like to wear this one on my other hand. But, I'm not sure he wants to get married."

"Maybe you get him a ring and he can choose which finger to wear it on."

"Yes, maybe so. Let me look some more. Thank you."

The clerk smiled and went to help another customer. Sarah continued to study the men's wedding bands. What would Jethro say if she asked him to marry her? What if he said no? Would they be able to stay together just as they were? Sarah thought the answer to that was definitely yes; they weren't splitting up over something like that. Or something like anything else for that matter. Sarah decided to take that walk to the beach and think about it before taking the monumental step of buying Jethro a wedding ring.

"I'll have to come back, thank you", she told the young woman as she headed for the door.

Sarah went back to the car and retrieved her sun hat then headed to the beach. She took off her sandals and walked out to the water's edge. The afternoon was warm but not hot and the water was perfect as always. She walked along in the shallow water and thought about what she wanted to say to Jethro when she went back to the bungalow. She knew she wanted them to live together. Being alone with Jethro these last several days had convinced Sarah that she didn't want to go back to their arrangement of just spending the night with each other every now and then. She wanted to be with Jethro as more than a couple who were dating and sleeping together. She wanted them to be in a committed relationship and to her that meant at least living together. But what about being married? It always came back to that.

The few conversations they'd had about marriage had mostly centered on Jethro's misadventures in that area. Sarah had been married only the one time so her perspective was a lot different than Jethro's. He had said once when they first began seeing each other that he obviously wasn't marriage material and she should keep that in mind as they moved along. She hadn't forgotten that subtle warning but she also didn't believe it. They had spent one long snowy day last winter talking about their pasts and Jethro had opened up to her about his failed marriages. Although he took most of the blame for those failures he finally admitted they hadn't been all his fault. He recognized he was not the same person now and that he had been trying to replace Shannon with those other women who didn't measure up very well. He also acknowledged he had finally, some years ago, given up that quest to replace his beloved first wife and had accepted that was not a realistic or healthy goal. That being said, he'd still insisted that night he was not a good bet as a husband. Sarah had let him think he'd convinced her but in her heart she knew even then that someday she'd try to change his mind.

As she walked along letting the water wash over her feet and ankles, Sarah thought about what Jethro had said the night he gave her the ring. He'd said he felt like part of the family. Well, families didn't usually live in separate houses. That was one point in favor of at least living together. Did she want what would amount to a roommate? The answer to that was a resounding no. She wanted to live with Jethro as a family. She wanted Megan to have that sense of family that would come from her and Jethro being married. Even though Megan was eighteen and going off to college she still needed her family and with her dad in Colorado having Jethro "officially" in the family would give her that stability.

When Sarah thought about reasons they shouldn't get married it usually came down to 'why bother'? After all they weren't going to have children and raise a family together. They didn't need each other's income to be able to manage. They could come and go as they pleased and really, there weren't any practical reasons they needed to get married. Sarah stopped and looked out at the magical expanse of blue-green water and laughed at herself. She didn't care about practical reasons. She didn't care about the two houses they had or the fact she would be Mrs. Gibbs number 5. All she knew and cared about was that she loved Jethro with all her heart and to her that meant she wanted to be married to him. That was all there was to it. She simply wanted to marry the man.

Having made her decision, Sarah went straight back to the jewelry store and began a serious study of the men's wedding bands. It had been such a long time since she was in the market for such a thing she had no idea what she wanted. There were several styles she'd never seen before so she waited for the young woman who had helped her earlier to be free to talk to her about what she was looking at.

"Tell me about these black rings. I've never seen these before."

"These are ceramic. They are what we sell the most of lately. They won't scratch and they are very durable."

"They're beautiful." Sarah pointed to one that had a criss-cross etching pattern. "May I see that one please?"

"This one is my favorite too. Very simple but not plain. It is very popular."

Sarah held the ring and imagined it on Jethro's finger. She loved the feel and weight of it. She thought he would like it. She asked the clerk if they had Jethro's size and luckily they did.

"I'll take this one. I hate to say this but just in case, can I return it tomorrow if I need to?"

"Yes, ma'am. I think the man who gave you that beautiful ring you're wearing will like this one and want to keep it. He won't say no."

Sarah laughed again and said, "I hope you're right."

"You come back tomorrow and show me how it looks on him."

"We will if he's wearing it."

Sarah paid for the ring and tucked the box in her purse. She had one more stop to make before she headed back to the beach house and Jethro. As she started for the door the young woman who'd helped her called out to her.

"Ma'am, the court offices are two streets behind us. They are open until four o'clock. The office you want is on the second floor."

Sarah looked at her and nodded. "Thank you. I hope to see you again before we leave."

Sarah walked the two blocks and found the municipal building and the office she needed without trouble. The man at the desk was very helpful and informative. He gave her the papers she needed and explained exactly what would be needed in order for her and Jethro to be married there. Sarah was thrilled to know they could actually get married the next day if they chose to. What an unexpected end to their vacation that would be! Sarah smiled all the way to the car. Even if Jethro didn't want to get married in St. John she was sure they would be married sooner rather than later.

While Sarah was busy shopping and thinking and planning their future, Jethro read and walked on the beach, took a swim and then a nap. He couldn't remember ever sleeping as much as he had this week but he figured if he fell asleep he must need it. He was so relaxed and content he barely recognized himself. Was it the water and the sand or was it Sarah and them being alone for the first time for more than one day at a time. Probably a combination of all that and fact he'd been working much too hard for the past several months.

Waking up from a short snooze, Jethro headed for the water to cool off and have a quick swim. Floating in the warm water Jethro thought about going home and how they were going to manage their life together going forward. He knew he didn't want to go home alone anymore. This trip had shown him how much he wanted to be with Sarah on a more permanent and frequent basis. Now he couldn't imagine being happy at home alone when Sarah was just a few miles away. Why did he think he'd want to go to bed alone when he could be in bed with the woman he loved? He knew he wouldn't want to do that. But, what did that mean? Move in with her? Jethro had never lived with a woman he wasn't married to and he didn't know how that would work exactly. He didn't much like the idea of being a roommate or whatever he'd be if he moved in with Sarah. Her moving in with him wasn't likely because she had a beautiful home and his needed major updating to appropriate for them together. And, there was Megan. She'd grown up in that house and would need to come back to it for at least four more years.

So, no living together. What did that leave? Marriage of course. Jethro was almost deathly afraid of that particular institution. He knew in his mind that his three failed marriages were in no way predictive of what a marriage to Sarah would be but in his heart he still felt the sting of failure. Jethro swam out to deeper water and stood looking out at the endless sea. He reminded himself he was a different person now and that Sarah was nothing at all like his ex-wives. She knew him much better than any of them had. She'd seen him at his worst and she was still with him. He'd tried to scare her away but she'd simply looked at him and let him know it wouldn't work. She was smart and tough and he knew she'd never disappoint him or hurt him. Jethro knew he wanted to be with Sarah forever. He trusted her and he loved her. Swimming back to the beach and his lounge chair in the shade, Jethro admitted to himself that he was most likely going to be a married man in the near future. He was smiling as he walked out of the water and settled on his chair. Yes, he thought, no more going home alone.

As she started toward the beach bungalow, Sarah saw it was almost three o'clock and aside from the lemon cake and tea she hadn't had any lunch. Knowing Jethro as she did she was pretty sure he hadn't eaten any lunch either. She decided to check on him and pick up something for them on the way back. She pulled over and called him.

"Hey, you on the way back yet?"

"Yes. Have you had any lunch?"

"Nope. And I'm starving now that you mention it."

"How do you feel about pizza? There's a little place on the way back that looks pretty good."

"That sounds great. You know what I like."

"Okay, I'll see you in a little bit."

"Hey, Sarah, I love you."

He sounded so serious all of a sudden she was taken by surprise. She didn't even have time to respond though because he hung up on her. As usual.

Sarah picked up the pizza which looked delicious and was back on the beach in about thirty minutes. Jethro had set the table on the patio, poured her a glass of wine and was waiting when she arrived. He took the pizza box from her and she gathered her bags from the back seat.

"Looks like you had success. Have fun?"

"Yes, I had a good time. How about you? How was your day alone?"

"Lonely. No, just kidding. It was good. I took a couple of walks and swims and naps. Very relaxing. Buy me anything?"

"How old are you? Yes, I did as a matter of fact but let's eat first. I'm famished."

"Good plan. Then I want to see all your purchases."

They enjoyed the pizza and the view and the perfect weather.

"It will be hard to leave this place and be back in the chaos of DC."

"You're right about that but if I don't go back DiNozzo will be in charge and I'm not quite ready for that to happen. Plus, Megan will be home a few days after we get back and you don't want to miss her."

"True. Please promise we'll come back here in the near future."

"We'll be back this winter. I promise."

"Wonderful. Now, I'm going to go freshen up and change and then we need to talk."

"Sounds ominous. I'll be right here."

Sarah went in and decided to take a quick shower. She needed a little bit of space to gather her thoughts and the shower provided her just that. She dressed in a pair of soft cotton shorts and a loose tee shirt, put the ring in her pocket and went to see how her life was going to unfold in the very near future. Jethro was stretched out on the double lounger they'd been sharing all week. Sarah stood and admired the view for a few moments. Jethro was wearing only a pair of shorts and a tank top. He was tan and fit and oh so handsome. Over the past year he had gained back all the weight he'd lost after the shooting and he was in the best shape of his life. At least since he'd left the Marines.

"You coming over here or just watching?"

"Just admiring how nice you look so relaxed and tan and handsome."

Jethro held out his hand and motioned her to him. Sarah sat down facing him and took a deep breath. Now or never she told herself. The ring was heavy in her pocket.

"Jethro we have a problem. Or rather, I have a problem."

"Same thing. What's wrong, your credit card explode today?"

Sarah laughed and punched him on the arm.

"No. Okay, just listen and don't interrupt."

"You're starting to scare me. Go on."

"I don't think I want to go home and go back to the way we've been living. I don't want to live in my house and you live in your house and we see each other when it's convenient or easy or whatever. I want to see you every day. Wake up with you, go to bed with you. I want us to be what you talked about when you gave me this beautiful ring. I want us to be a family, Jethro."

Sarah stopped to catch her breath and think about what to say next. Jethro was just looking at her, his face gave away nothing. What she couldn't see was that his heart was pounding and his mind was spinning because he was pretty sure where she was going with this speech. He'd spent a lot of time this afternoon trying to figure out how to convince Sarah they should get married. He didn't expect her to be easily swayed because he thought he'd done such a good job of convincing her he would make a lousy husband. Maybe he hadn't done such a good job after all.

The pause had only been a few seconds but in that time they'd both raced ahead several steps. Now Sarah resumed her story.

"I know there might be some details to work out and issues to deal with but Jethro, I don't think I can go back to the way things have been."

At this point Sarah took off her ring and in that instant Jethro felt like ice water had been dumped on his head. He almost panicked until he saw her put it on her left ring finger. He closed his eyes in relief so he didn't see her reach in her pocket and come out with his ring in her fist. When he opened his eyes Sarah leaned in and kissed him.

When she sat back she held out her closed fist and said, "This is what I bought you today. I hope you like it. Before it give it to you I have a question. Will you marry me Jethro?"

Without a second's hesitation he said, "Yes."

Tears filled her eyes and she opened her hand showing Jethro the beautiful black ring on her palm. He took it, studied it and put it on his finger.

"I love it. Not as much as I love you, but a lot. Did you do this today?"

"Yes. I saw it in a shop when I went in to buy a bracelet I'd seen in the window. Jethro, I know this is a sudden change of plan but I think we can do this. We want to be together and I don't want you for just a roommate. I want you forever in every way. Are you sure you're okay with this idea?"

"Very sure. To tell you the truth I spent a lot of this afternoon trying to figure out how to ask you to marry me. I know I've said I'm not good husband material but I think maybe I can be now. I can't imagine being happy alone again. I don't want to live apart from you."

"So, now what? You interested in getting married here? Before we go home?"

"Sure. Can we?"

"I just happen to have the paperwork in my purse. We can get married tomorrow or the next day whichever you want."

"Tomorrow it is. Then we will have a one day honeymoon before we go home."

"Yay, I like that idea. Whatta ya say we celebrate our engagement?'

"You're just full of good ideas today."

The celebration began on the lounger but quickly moved to the bedroom and lasted most of the evening and into the night. About midnight Jethro woke up hungry and a while later Sarah saw him out on the patio eating a sandwich. She found some ice cream and taking a spoon, went to join him. Back on the double lounger she fed him ice cream while they cuddled under the stars.

"You really like the ring? We can exchange it if you want."

"No way. I really do like it. You did good."

"I agree. I got you didn't I?"

"You've got me no doubt. I hope you never regret it."

"Jethro, of course I won't regret it! I may want to throttle you some times but I will never regret loving you."

Jethro pulled her closer and kissed her. Tomorrow they'd be married. They'd go home and life would change and get better and he'd finally have a family again.

And to think, it all began with a sneaky little kiss in the kitchen.

END


End file.
